Minnesota Senate approves tougher penalties for straw purchasing

A sharply divided Minnesota Senate approved a gun safety bill Thursday, putting it on the verge of becoming law.

The legislation would increase penalties for straw purchasing from a gross misdemeanor to a felony. That means a conviction would be punishable by up to two years in prison and an aggravating factor could push the penalty up to five years in prison.

The bill has gained traction after the shooting that killed three first responders in Burnsville, for which the mother of some of the suspect’s children is now charged with straw purchasing.

“While straw purchases are already illegal under Minnesota law our law contains loopholes that need to be closed in order to hold offenders accountable,” Sen. Heather Gustafson(DFL-Vadnais Heights) said while introducing her bill on the Senate floor. “This bill is one more step we can take to keep our families and law enforcement safe from gun violence.”

While that measure had bipartisan support, another part that would ban binary triggers was opposed by many Republicans. Those trigger mechanisms allow guns to fire bullets faster. They are legal under current Minnesota law. Those binary triggers are included on some new guns when purchased and some are added on for hundreds of dollars. 

If this bill becomes law, anyone who owns those weapons would have to turn the weapons over to law enforcement or disable the mechanism.

“The word confiscation comes to mind when I hear ‘turn them over,'” said Sen. Warren Limmer(R — Maple Grove), while speaking against the provision.

“No one’s coming to my house and no one’s making me turn my guns over to the government,” said Sen. Nathan Wesenberg(R-Little Falls). “That’s not going to happen. So if this law passes you’re going to make me a criminal.”

“I own firearms and I’m allowed to do that and now you’re going to make me a criminal by saying I can’t own this particular firearm,” Wesenberg added later in the two-hour debate. “You’re violating the Second Amendment.”

The bill passed on a party-line vote of 34-33, with all Democrats voting in favor and all Republicans voting against. 

As previously reported by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, the bill has already passed in the House by a vote of 71-59. Governor Tim Walz has said he’s likely to sign the legislation into law.

See the status of several other high-interest bills with KSTP’s Legislative Tracker.